Threshold



Fe 1 1 J. c. ODEGAARD EIAL 2,872,

THRESHOLD Filed May 14. 1956 INVENTORS JOHN C. ODEGAARD HORACE GROBER BY o/mom If)?! RNEY V States 2,872,714 TnREsnoLn Application May 14, 1956, Serial No. 584,739

2 Claims. (Cl. 20-64) This invention relates to a threshold and more particularly to a threshold adapted to fit over a door sill.

Heretofore, many thresholds have been constructed integrally with door sills, the entire combination being cast from an unnecessary quantity of metal. Such a construction is expensive, wasteful and unduly ponderous. The prior art also contains thresholds made of extruded metal, but such thresholds have no functional relation to door sills. In fact, many thresholds are constructed to be used without sills.

The purpose of this invention is to overcome the dis advantages enumerated by providing a light extruded metal threshold of unitary structure designed to adequately protect and strengthen a door sill, and particularly a wooden door sill.

Another object of this invention is to provide a threshold which is adapted to firmly and snugly engage a door sill, with a minimum of fasteners.

A further object of this invention is to provide a threshold having a depending front wall with an inturned lip adapted to snugly engage the front end of the sill.

Another object of this invention is to provide a threshold which will not only adequately cover and protect the door sill from weather and wear, but also structurally reinforce the sill.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the lines 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, Fig. 1 discloses a door frame comprising jambs 11, door stop 12, and sill 13. A door 14 is hinged within the frame 10.

In Fig. 2, the sill 13 and the finished floor 15 rest upon the wooden sub-floor 16, which is in turn supported by the sill header 17 and floor joist 18. As shown in Fig. 2, the sill 13 is a cantilever type of beam. As an alternative, the sill 13 may rest upon a concrete floor slab, not shown, instead of the wooden sub-floor 16.

The threshold 19 comprises a substantially fiat forwardly sloping element 20 which is adapted to rest flush against the beveled portion 21 of the sill 13. Forming an integral thickened part of the sloping element 20 is a rib 22 adapted to fit flush against the level surface of the sill 13 to stabilize the threshold 19. A front wall 23 depends from the front end of the sloping element 20 and is adapted to abut flush against the front end of the sill 13. To secure the front portion of the threshold 19 in snug engagement with the sill 13, the bottom of the front wall 23 comprises an inturned lip 24. Thus, the sill 13 is snugly fitted within and in continuous contact with the threshold 19 from the rib 22 to the lip 24.

The rear portion of the threshold 19 comprises a raised plat form 25 having a recess 26 in the top thereof, for receiving a longitudinal flexible sealing strip 27, such as a strip of vinyl plastic. The sealing strip 27 abuts against the bottom of the door 14, when closed within the frame 10, to form a weather-stripping element.

" atent Screws 28, or other fastening means, are inserted through the bottom of the platform 25 and into the sill 13. These are the only fastening means required for securing the threshold 19 in position over the sill 13.

The recess 26 in the top of the platform 25 is formed by a flat web 29 and a pair of opposed overhanging flanges 30. The sealing strip 27 is formed of a curved upper portion 31, the ends of which terminate near opposite edges of and in a flat lower portion 32, as best disclosed in Fig. 2. The free edges of the portion-32 are adapted to fit between the flanges 30 and the web 29 in locking engagement. The upper portion 31 extends above the platform 25 to abut the bottom of the door 14.

The upper surface of the sloping element 20 comprises spaced parallel longitudinal ridges 33. The purposes of the ridges 33 is to provide an effective tread upon the sloping element 20 and to provide means for persons to scrape the soles of their shoes before entering through the door frame 10.

The threshold 19 may be extruded into a unitary structure of light metal such as aluminum. Since the threshold 19 is functionally designed to cover, protect and snugly fit the sill 13, and since the threshold 19 and sill 13 mutually reinforce each other, the material requirements for both threshold and sill may be considerably reduced. Less metal may be used in the threshold 19, and less wood may be employed in the construction of the sill 13. The threshold 19 not only covers and protects the wooden sill 13 from wear and weathering, but the sill is also reinforced to prevent shearing at its cantilever point, where the sill 13 overhangs the sub-floor 16.

The front wall 23 and lip 24 prevent the wood from warping and pulling away from the threshold 19. The function of the lip 24 is to aid in containing the end of the sill 13 and also to eliminate the necessity of screw fasteners through the sloping element 20 and sill 13. The

lip 24 also provides a means for permitting water to drip without adhering to or soaking into the wooden sill 13.

The invention therefore incorporates the optimum qualities of rapid production, uncomplicated installation, strength, protection, appearance, utility and economy. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and describedin the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A threshold comprising a unitary structure fitting over a wooden cantilver sill projecting outwardly from the sub-flooring of a building and having a level lower surface and on its upper surface a level inner portion and a slightly beveled outer portion, said threshold comprising a rear portion and a forward sloping element terminating in a depending front wall having a lower inturned lip, said forward element fitting flush against the beveled surface of said sill, said front wall and lip engaging the beveled end and level lower surface of said sill, said forward element having a thickened rib part with a level lower surface resting on the level inner portion of the sill, said rear portion comprising a sealing strip to abut against the bottom of a door, means for fastening said sealing strip to said threshold and means for fastening said threshold to the inner portion of said sill.

2. In combination, a door, a wooden cantilever door sill mounted on sub-flooring of a building projecting outwardly therefrom and a metal threshold, said sill having an upper surface which is level on its inner portion and sloping downwardly on its outer portion, an outer vertical surface adjoining the sloping outer portion and a level lower surface, said threshold comprising an inner portion resting on and secured to the level inner portion 01. the sill and an outer portion sloping downwardly and outwardly from said inner portion, said inner portion containing a distended flexible element for sealing engagement with the bottom of said door in closed position,-said outer portion including a thickened rib parthaving a level lower surface resting on the level inner portion of the sill, a sloping portion outward of the rib resting on the sloping portion of the sill, a front wall extending vertically downward from the sloping portion and a lip extending horizontally inwardly from the vertical front wall, the vertical front wall and the horizontal lip of the threshold abutting, respectively, against the outer vertical surface and the level lower surface of the sill.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mari 

